1. Technical Field
The invention relates to containers, and in particular to containers for storing video cassettes. More particularly, the invention relates to a storage container which is adapted to receive and enclose a video cassette and which prevents rotation of the tape reel hubs housed within the cassette.
2. Background Information
The use of video cassettes together with associated equipment such as video cassette recorders continues to grow in popularity. One type of cassette is used primarily by individuals to record programs directly from a television or for videotaping of live events for replay at a later time, or alternatively, is rented or purchased with a program already prerecorded thereon. Another type of video cassette is used primarily for commercial purposes, and houses a magnetic tape having a three-quarter inch width format, which is significantly wider than the half-inch tape format present in cassettes of the type used by individuals.
It is desirable that these cassettes be shipped and stored in protective boxes or containers to prevent physical damage to the cassette during shipment, as well as to keep the cassette relatively dust-free during storage. It also is desirable that the tape reel hubs of these cassettes, and especially those of the larger tape format, be prevented from rotating during shipment caused by vibrations resulting from transport. Such rotation can cause the tape in the cassette to unwind from the hubs, often resulting in damage to the unwound portion of tape and loss of the information stored thereon.
Many of the cassette storage containers disclosed in the known prior art utilize one or more buttons or pins which engage drive holes formed in the tape reel hubs to prevent the hubs from rotating, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,876,071; 4,011,940; 4,054,206; 4,078,657; and 4,231,474. Although such storage containers limit the rotation of the cassette hubs, some rotation usually is necessary for moving the drive holes into alignment with the retention pins. Thus, damage to the small portion of the tape which unwinds from such rotation still can occur. U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,740 shows another cassette storage container in which a pin engages one of the drive holes in each of the tape reel hubs directly and immediately upon insertion of the cassette into the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,482 shows another prior art storage container having vertical fins attached to a projection which fit into grooves of the hub recess of a cassette. However, the container shown in this prior art patent is not intended to prevent rotation of cassette tape reel hubs which lack teeth or grooves.
The closest known prior art to applicant's invention is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,896,929; 4,056,244; 4,593,814; and in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/220,682 filed July 18, 1988. However, the device shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,929 is intended for use with audio cassettes wherein the studs of the device frictionally engage the teeth of the hub to prevent rotation of the hub. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,244 also is intended for use with audio cassettes and engages slots formed between adjacent teeth of the hub to prevent rotation of the hub. The storage case disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,814 includes a discontinuous ring which contacts the wall of a video tape cassette reel hub to prevent rotation thereof.
In order to be competitive in the video cassette container field, it is necessary to mass produce the containers at as low a cost as possible. These containers usually are injection molded of plastic, and preferably in one piece with the tape reel retention device being integrally molded with the container in a single procedure and at the same time to reduce costs. Use of a relatively simple mold is preferred in molding such containers, that is, a mold not having any or as few as possible moving parts to reduce molding time as well as the cost of manufacture and maintenance of the molds. Many of the prior art containers containing hub retention devices require a complicated mold containing moving parts, all of which increases the cost of manufacture of the container.
It is also desirable that the frictional retaining contact of the hub retention devices with the reel hub cover a relatively large area in order to increase the frictional holding capacity thereof, as well as to prevent marring of the reel hub as could occur with point contact retention devices, which could affect its operation after removal from the container and placement in the video playback and/or recorder device.
There is no storage container for video cassettes of which I am aware, other than my invention set forth below, which prevents rotation and rattling of the tape reel hubs of a cassette by utilizing opposed pairs of flexible fingers which establish a frictional line contact with the hubs and which can be molded in a simple injection mold relatively free of moving parts.